PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is coming off of battles with perhaps the two top teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on the Road at Norfolk State and at home against Howard. The Hawks lost both contests by just nine points and played well defensively.

But the Hawks (4-12, 0-2 MEAC) must now find the key to untrack their offense before Delaware State visits on Saturday (Jan. 14) for a 2 p.m. contest. The Hornets put a scare into the Bison on the road, but fell 51-49 and then held the Spartans to 40 points at home in another loss.

"This is a game we need," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "We played probably the top half of the league in our first two games and we have to make up for that. This is a game we can't afford to lose and still be in a position to be competitive in the league this year."

Last game out, redshirt junior Mahogany Lester (Virginia Beach, Virginia) put up 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, while Ariana Seawell (Bronx, New York) finished with 13 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes before fouling out.

But the three keys for UMES on Saturday may well be guard play, guard play and guard play.

"We need to be able to put the ball in the basket," Batchelor said. "We have to play better basketball, especially on the perimeter. I was really pleased with what we have gotten from the post in conference play for the most part. Ari and Mahogany are putting up solid numbers. We just had our perimeter play, probably the two worst games they have played all year. The last game they were 4-for-33. I don't expect that from this group in back-to-back games."

Seawell leads the Hawks in MEAC play with 10.5 points per game and Lester is second with 8.0. They are averaging 7.0 and 9.0 rebounds respectively against conference opponents. For the season, Zamara Haynes (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is UMES' leading scorer at 11.0 points per game, but she has struggled recently along with the rest of the backcourt.

"We are healthy," Batchelor said. "We are not dealing with any injuries right now. I am expecting us to play our best game of the year."